Sacramento Freelancers - Corps Traditions

Corps Traditions

Corps members always marched their first show without the corps signature chrome buckle. The buckle had to be "earned". It was traditionally presented at the second show of the season. The buckle was perhaps the single most prized possession of the corps members.

When one aged out of the Freelancers, the age-out was given their buckle to remind them of their time in the corps.

If the corps felt slighted or disrespected by the judges, a special ritual played out. The drum major would call the corps to attention and give them a command. The corps would then execute an 8 count high mark time about face. With their backs turned to the crowd, the corps would "close their flaps"... in essence, protecting their inner selves by symbolicly closing themselves off to outsiders. When they turned back around, the white triangles would be gone. This was a sign that competitors and those in the know took to mean; "stay away".

As the corps had such a strong bond with their visual identity, the integrity of the uniform was never sacrificed or disrespected. The corps members were never seen in half uniform in "public" areas. The uniform was to either be worn fully or not at all.

Freelancers were also never seen walking alone. In latter years, female members of the corps, especially those in the colorguard were to be escorted, arm in arm, when in view of the public. This led to a public image of the corps as being very tight knit and rather chivalrous.

The corps traditional rivals were those in the bottom half of DCI's top 12. Corps such as the Crossmen, Spirit of Atlanta, Suncoast Sound, Troopers, Boston Crusaders, Florida Wave, Bluecoats, and Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps were all considered rivals, but none compared in intensity and spirit than that to the rivalry with the Velvet Knights. The Freelancers held a special place in their hearts for VK and VK likewise for the Freelancers! A lot of the members of the Freelancers were in fact from Southern California especially in the area around Anaheim, Riverside, Northridge and Los Angeles... all traditional recruiting areas for VK. The corps even sent a bus or two down to LA on camp weekends to pick up all the Southern California members and take them up north to camps. Many of the members of both corps knew each other personally as many were in fact friends or classmates in high school or college. It was often said that the success of a Freelancers season could be gauged on whether or not they finished ahead of VK.